CHIM Vutheavy, National Institute of Education
SOEUNG Sopha, National Institute of Education
“Cambodian Students' Kindergarten Experience towards Khmer Subject at the Private International Schools”
（発表要旨）
Purpose: This study aims to report lower secondary school students’perceptions of learning Khmer, a local language, through their kindergarten experience.
Method: This study purposively collected data from 30 students, studying at four international schools in Phnom Penh, using semi-structured interviews. They experienced in three programs: English kindergarten, Khmer kindergarten, dual kindergarten program. Only Khmer is used as a medium of instruction in the Khmer kindergarten, and only English is used in English kindergarten.
Findings: Kindergarten experience impacts the attitude to Khmer subject and to Khmer-subject teachers. Student experienced in Khmer kindergarten shows positive attitude to both subject and teachers. However, students in other two programs explicitly expressed they lost all freedom and felt bored during Khmer class.
Conclusion: When students don't experience in Khmer learning environment, they seem to face more challenges in learning Khmer and building a good rapport with their Khmer-subject teachers. Although Khmer is set as a compulsory subject at International school, the Ministry of Education should consider to promote Khmer kindergarten as the only gate to general education.
